


Nightmares and Worse Dreams

by BlueWeirdness



Series: Nightmares Can Be Reality [1]
Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Kidnapping, Maybe Creepy, No shipping, Possessive Behavior, Tord is OOC, a little violence, and dream-death, just twisted friendship, not intended to reflect the people that the characters were based on in any way, probably the others are too but it is a series of dreams so..., tord is possessive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-02 17:49:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19446532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueWeirdness/pseuds/BlueWeirdness
Summary: Find him. Make it up to him. These were the thoughts that kept the guilt at bay. What kept him going through the war he started. He would make it up to his best friend. And then he could stop the nightmares forever.Then he could focus on being the stuff of nightmares.Maybe he wouldn't have to do it alone anymore.





	Nightmares and Worse Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody! Thanks for reading!
> 
> This was the first fanfiction for Eddsworld that I began working on, but not the last. I actually have several other projects for Eddsworld in the works, which is one reason why this one was a little forgotten for about a year.
> 
> But anyways, like I said in the tags, I don't ship anybody in Eddsworld. I don't really see anything romantic at all when I watch it. I feel the need to say this though, because I want to clarify that I do tend to write Edd as being close to the others (especially Tord), but it's fully intended to be in a platonic sense. Tord's strange relationship with his friends is one of the things I find most fascinating in Eddsworld. Which is what inspired this fic, of course.
> 
> You see, through all the smoke and the mirrors and the spectacle of missiles, dying neighbors, and giant robots, I firmly believe that Tord did not at all try to hurt Edd or Matt, beyond Matt's face, of course. Seriously, go back and watch "The End: Part 2," if you don't believe me. My biggest piece of evidence is when Tord destroys the console that Edd and Matt are using to get back at him. He destroys it and then makes no move to hurt them. I mean, he could have stuck around and tried. He could have just stepped on them, for crying out loud. But no, he just taunts them and tries to leave like a boss.
> 
> And don't get me wrong, I know that doesn't excuse anything he's done. I think that he believed that he meant what he said to Edd at the time. I think he was being a thoughtless and impulsive jerk, not a totally sincere jerk, if that makes sense.
> 
> So in a weird way, I tend to portray Edd as Tord's last link to his humanity. It's just that that link gets a little twisted. In any case, this is kind of an exaggeration of my interpretation of the show, so it's certainly OOC, I guess. At the end of the day, I wrote this for myself, but I wanted to post it in the hopes that maybe somebody else would enjoy it too.
> 
> Sorry about the long-winded author's note.

Tord trembled as he beheld the sight before him. The destruction that, for once, he’d never meant to cause. Tom looked up at him, seemingly immune to all of the damage inflicted upon the neighborhood. “You killed him.” He glowered as he held Edd’s body, “You traitor! He trusted you!”

“I-I don’t understand. A minute ago, he was--- That was meant for you!” He yelled at Tom, enraged, though this time it was in order to push down a grief that would inevitably overcome him if he let it. He wouldn’t deny that he’d tried to end Tom, but Edd? He was the one person he’d actively tried to avoid hurting. Even Matt hadn’t gotten the same treatment. The state of his face would attest to that.

“Oh, really? You said you didn’t even care about him a few minutes ago. At least you finished the job and put him out of his misery,” Tom spat out. Tord was almost relieved that Tom was obscuring the injuries on Edd’s body. 

…

Tord startled awake, releasing a hissing breath in reaction to the same kind of dream he’d been experiencing for the past six months. He hadn’t wanted to hurt either of his other friends, and thinking back on it, it honestly never occurred to him that he could’ve unintentionally killed them during that whole fiasco. Not until the first dream.

…

He was sitting on the couch with Edd and Matt. Tom was blissfully gone, and Tord could savor his time with his two real friends for a few more moments before he had to leave. Suddenly, Edd turned toward Tord with a serious frown, and Tord expected him to make some remark about worrying about Tom. Again. So he was surprised when he said, “You’d probably better go soon. You’re gonna miss your chance, you know.”

“W-what?” Tord stuttered, “What do you mean?” He rose off of the couch as guilt sneaked its way through him. Surely he couldn’t be referring to that?

“Oh, you know,” Tord turned to look at Matt, whose voice was muffled with popcorn. “He means your betrayal.” His fear confirmed, he looked back to Edd to explain himself, but to his sudden horror, Edd was no longer on the couch. Edd lay on the floor, on the now wrecked remains of his beloved home. He was motionless, and though he couldn’t see any wounds, Tord knew he was dead.

“Edd?” Tord said breathlessly, “How did this happen?”

“You did this,” the voice that came from behind Tord was no longer Matt’s, and Tord turned around just in time to see Tom racing to slam a knife into his chest.

...

“Sir? Are you alright?” Tord snapped his focus back to the blueprints in front of him. 

“Yes, I’m… fine. Carry on.” As the soldier left his office, he mentally berated himself. That had been at least the fourth time that week he’d been lost in thought like that.  
It wasn’t easy dealing with the psychological aftermath. As the leader of an army, he couldn’t afford to allow himself to show that kind of regret, nor attachment. So he would try to forget about the dread he’d felt. Act out the day-to-day routine: make strategies, speeches, plan raids. Pretend he didn’t constantly think about his friends and the what-ifs of every scenario. He soldiered on (he supposed Edd would appreciate the pun). But the dreams would continuously remind him of his betrayal in one way or another.

It only got worse after their conquests became bigger, more elaborate, more public. But he continued, and as the months passed, the nightmares would resume, startling him all over again.

…

Edd lying among the wreckage of some village Tord couldn’t remember the name of. It should have been nowhere near Edd’s hometown.

…

A tear-stricken Matt holding Edd’s body.

…

Then somewhere along the way, one dream stood out as different. 

Tord walked down the halls of his headquarters, peering into the cells they kept their enemies in. Suddenly, he froze when he came to one with a familiar figure. He was a little bewildered to see Edd, but his friend stirred. He was battered and bruised, and he certainly looked miserable, but Tord was overwhelmed with relief. Injuries could be fixed. He was safe. 

…

It should have filled him with even more regret, the idea that he, in his dreams, had captured his friend. That the implications of the dream were still that he caused his friend injury and pain. But he had never felt so comforted since he’d begun his little journey.

Tord towered over his two friends in his robotic monstrosity, about to explain where they stood to him. But as he looked at Edd’s worried expression, regret replaced his words, and then he suddenly had a better idea. “Well, Edd. This was supposed to be a surprise. For you!”

Edd’s head tilted in curiosity, “For me?” 

“Yes! I thought you might like to drive it. You know, to celebrate my coming home.”

Edd’s expression suddenly changed into excitement, “Wow, really? That would be amazing!”

“Absolutely. Let’s just go somewhere else so no one will be hurt, okay?” Edd nodded eagerly as Tord lowered one of the robot’s enormous hands for Edd to climb onto. “Hop on, partner.” Edd did as he was told happily, holding onto the robot’s thumb, and grinned up at Tord. Tord smirked as he rose into the air. He could have his fun later, but there was no need for Edd to get hurt, was there? For now he just felt an urge to get Edd out of the line of fire. And it would be easy to keep him out of the way now. After all, as far as Edd knew, Tord was still as good a friend as he’d always been. 

When he saw Tom racing toward them, shouting that it was a trap, Tord almost couldn’t hold his laughter back. His horrified expression was just icing on the cake. Let him think that he would hurt their mutual friend.

You had your chance, Tom, he thought, but you couldn’t even protect him from me. Now it’s my turn.

…

Dreams such as this would now recur similarly to the nightmares, and it was as though his mind would pick them at random, like some kind of monstrous shuffled deck of cards.

…

Edd making a full recovery in Tord’s own medical bay, smiling at Tord, thanking him even.

…

Edd terrified and running away and right into where his men were shooting without mercy, despite Tord’s shouts of warning.

…

Safe.

…

Not safe.

…

Safe.

…

Not safe.

…

In the meantime, Tord had begun to keep an eye out for Edd, insisting on scoping out the areas personally when he could before initiating an attack. He never found him, however, and Tord hoped that no news was good news at least.

…

Tord turned away, ready to leave his friends at the grocery store. They should be safe and unaware of his actions, if they stayed there.  
He stilled. There was no guarantee that they would stay there, though, was there?

He turned back toward the others, “Say, Edd?” He said, smiling. “How would you like to come with me?” Matt was still off in his own little world, unaware of any trouble brewing. If left alone, Matt would probably meander around the grocery store for another few hours at least. Maybe Tord could even come back to fetch him.

“What? Where are you going, anyway?” Edd asked in surprise.

“Oh, nowhere special, but I really want you to meet some friends of mine,” Tord said. Edd nodded after a moment, and they headed out the door, leaving their groceries and Matt behind. Tord chuckled, noting that Edd was willing to follow him out at a moment’s notice. 

In no time at all, they made their way to an alley where Tord somehow knew a couple of his soldiers would be. They stood at attention upon seeing Tord, and Tord grabbed hold of Edd’s arm without warning, and pushed him toward the waiting men.

“Gentlemen, this is Edd,” Tord said cheerfully. Then his voice suddenly turned soft and vicious, “Grab him.” Before Edd could even regain his footing, they did as they were told, gripping Edd’s arms so tightly that he didn’t even seem to have room to struggle. Tord stalked around to face them, though he avoided eye contact with Edd. “Tord, w-what’s going on?” 

Tord ignored him and looked to his men, “Take him back to base, and make sure he’s not hurt in any way. He’ll be staying with us from now on.” With that, Tord continued to ignore his friend’s defiant shouts and walked away from the men and back to the house to complete his prior objective.

…

So trusting. 

…

What a moron.

…

Such a good friend.

…

Too easy to trick.

…

Tord watched from his battleship as another missile was fired at the enemy ship. He looked over to a terrified, but curious Edd. He smiled gently and gestured to the console, “Would you like to try?” His tone turned into light teasing, “I know how you love to press buttons.” Edd hesitated, but soon reached forward slowly. He gave a bright green button a tentative push, and another missile was launched, sinking yet another ship. He looked ashamed at first, but as he kept going, Tord noticed a small smile sneaking its way onto his friend’s face.

…

That last one in particular began to fascinate Tord, and he pondered the notion of persuading Edd to join his cause. He knew that his friend wouldn’t want to hurt anyone, but Tord also knew that his friend was drawn to destruction and mayhem, and perhaps he could learn to like Tord’s own business. He’d have to watch him, of course. Edd’s immaturity and recklessness weren’t things to be ignored, but perhaps if Tord could train him to focus…

He missed his golden opportunity, he knew. He’d had Edd’s complete trust, and he could’ve taken Edd with him, perhaps even convinced him to join up with him much sooner. Now that Edd knew the truth about his plans, it would certainly be much harder. But Tord knew that his friend would come to forgive his betrayal. In return, Tord would show Edd that he hadn’t meant what he had said. That their friendship was important to him.

As for Matt and Tom? When he had all of them in one place, and Edd was swayed to his side, he would make Edd a deal. Edd could decide what happened to Matt.

And Tord would decide what happened to Tom.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> I like to think that as Tord kept experiencing the dreams, he began to adapt to them and his subconscious began to manipulate them to suit him.
> 
> So I think I might leave this as a one-shot for now, but I do have more written. Let me know if you do want more.
> 
> I honestly think I'm a little too close to this to accurately determine how creepy this was... O_o.
> 
> I think I'm sorry.


End file.
